MH House

MH House

MH House

MH House exterior rendering in winter looking north.

Copyright COULSON.

MH House

Construction Detail.

Copyright COULSON.

Disappear Retreat dissolves the ecological footprint and provides seamless living with nature. Imagine it is -25˚F on a typical winter morning in northern Minnesota, yet no heating is required. Reducing the heating load by 95% using passive methods is a critical strategy to achieve zero-energy. A minimalist palette and layout keeps the focus on the beautiful surroundings, offering a meditative experience. This model has a built-in bed/sofa with storage, toilet, sink, shower, and refrigerator drawer.

Bagley Classroom

Exterior photo of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Context Plan drawing of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth in the Bagley Nature Area.

Bagley Classroom

Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Floor Plan drawing of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Interior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Building Sections drawing of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Exterior photographs of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Construction Detail drawings of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Bagley Classroom

Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Pays d'en Haut

Exterior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Exterior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Regional landscape context.

Pays d'en Haut

Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Site Plan drawing of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Pays d'en Haut

Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Upper Floor Plan drawings of Pays d'en Haut before and after renovation.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Pays d'en Haut

Lower Floor Plan drawings of Pays d'en Haut before and after renovation.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Pays d'en Haut

Exterior and Interior Photographs of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Exterior and Interior Photographs of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Exterior, Interior, Material Palette Photographs of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

Bruce Damonte, Photographer.

Canary Grey, Photographer.

Pays d'en Haut

Building Section and Construction Detail drawings of Pays d'en Haut.

Carly Coulson, Architect.

mh house

MH House is an innovative, near-zero energy, suite of glass pavilions in Duluth, Minnesota designed for mixed-use office and residential with expansive views of Lake Superior. It is designed for Passive House certification and LEED Platinum certification.

disappear retreat

Disappear Retreat is a transparent, stargazing, triple-zero building, dissolving the impact on the environment physically and aesthetically. This compact, prefabricated, off-grid dwelling offers an affordable, minimalist lifestyle in resources, cost, and design.

The high-performance enclosure meets the Passive House Standard and will pursue Living Building Challenge certification, the two most rigorous environmental targets in the world. The 83 sqft building requires no active heating or cooling systems and has a peak heating load of just 100 watts (1 light bulb) in the extreme cold of Northern Minnesota. It performs similarly well in cold climates from Seattle to Buffalo and Chicago to Calgary.

This groundbreaking design by the architecture firm COULSON strives for a paradigm shift, inspiring the public and AEC industry that low-tech, sustainable building is attainable now without sacrificing aesthetic freedom.

Prototype construction is underway in Summer 2017 and a multi-city public education tour of the building will follow. Six prototypes will be scattered amongst the boreal forest near Grand Marais, Minnesota. The buildings will undergo testing and monitoring and will form a retreat center providing a non-profit residency program for artistic professionals. Guests will become attune to resource use and the integrated sustenance from the earth and sun and gain creative rejuvenation and inspiration from the landscape.

bagley classroom

The Bagley Outdoor Classroom is the first LEED Platinum Certified and passive house building at the University of Minnesota. The building operates with near-zero energy and waste emissions. It is used as a field station for classes in the Bagley Nature Area in Duluth, Minnesota.

pays d'en haut

Pays d'en Haut is a near-zero energy passive house renovation project in Duluth, Minnesota that meets the EnerPHit requirements of the passive house institute.